Bridie Mulloy, Ballinrobe

Ballinrobe's Bridie Mulloy

Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo

Author & Historian

By Averil Staunton

Bridie Mulloy (nee Gunning) who lived in Ballinrobe for many years was a native of Ballindoon, County Sligo where she was born c 1919. While growing up there she first became interested in folklore while listening to stories around the fire. Following her attendance at Ballymote Vocational School, her schoolgirl hobby became a career when she took it upon herself to collect the folklore of her home county Sligo, followed later by Mayo and Waterford.

In the 1930’s there was a national competition for school teachers, inviting entrants to submit an example of their work to the National Folklore Commission. While there is no record of her entry Bridie obviously submitted work as 21 of the manuscripts in the Irish Folklore Department in University College, Dublin, are from her collection.

Marriage

Destiny played a part when Bridie met her future husband Tony Mulloy, a Keel man on Achill Island. Tony was a school teacher whose family owned the local Village Inn. He was very knowledgeable in the local folklore and stories of Achill, so it is no wonder these two souls met up! Tony who died in 2008 was later the Principal of Ballinrobe Vocational School until his retirement in 1981. He acted in a voluntary capacity as Secretary of the Ballinrobe Racecourse Committee for some time in the 1980s and had a keen interest in greyhounds.

Guesthouse Advisor

In 1963 Bridie was offered a position as Irish Farm Guesthouse Advisor and travelled all over Ireland for three years. She has been described as the pioneer of the farm guesthouse movement.

Journalist

Bridie became a regular contributor to local and national newspapers and magazines when she took up journalism as a hobby. Her contributions included projects for the Farmer’s Journal, Woman’s Way, and the Irish Countrywoman, in the 1950’s and ‘60’s. Her monologues have featured on RTE and Mid-West Radio.

Death

Bridie died on 10th October 2009 and her body, like her husband’s Tony was donated for Medical Research.

Publications

Her book, ‘Itchy Feet and Thirsty Work’ is a social history of the Ballinrobe area and her meticulously researched history of Ballinrobe’s Augustinian Abbey in conjunction with the Lough Mask and Lough Carra Tourist Development Association and FÁS, was marked by the visit of President Mary Robinson to Ballinrobe on July 28, 1994.

Another of her lasting legacies to the Ballinrobe people is her poem...

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